Mercerization



SAMUEL MANSFIELD JQNES, 0F NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TOARNQLD PRINT WORKS, 016 NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0hMASSACHUSETTS.

MEBCERIZATION.

intense.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Belt known that l, SAMUEL Mausmnnn J ONES, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of North Adams, in thecounty of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Mercerization, of which the following is adescription.

This invention particularly relates to a method of mercerizingcellulosic fibers of these is the method herein described which involvesthe modification of the caustic alkali solution used for mcrcerizationby in troducing into it formic aldehyde otherwise known as formaldehyde.

For the purpose of the present invention it find it practicallysatisfactory to compose the mercerizingliquid by adding formic aldehydein the proportion of 'r" grams to 943 grams of an aqueous solution ofsodium hydrate at Twaddell. This proportion is not rigid; but if theratio of the quantity of formic aldehyde to that of the caustic alkaliin solution at the hydrometric density stated is much less than theratio just indicated the viscose silk will not be adequately protected;and if such ratio is much greater the mercerizing elliciency of thecaustic alkali thus modified will tend to become impaired.

Otherwise than such required modification of the mercerizing solutionthe treatment of the fabric into which mercerizable cellulosic fiberssuch as cotton or linen have been interwoven with viscose-silk filamentsis substantially the same as that customarily employed in themercerization of woven fabrics composed entirely of cotton including theusual means and mode of applying tension thereto for the prevention ofshrinkage.

The employment of a memorizing solution of caustic alkali which. hasbeen modi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 28, 1919.

llafented June t5. ltlitllo Serial no. 341,272.

lied by the addition thereto of formic aldehyde as hereinabove providedenables the process of mercerization to be successfully practised uponcellulosic fibers of natural growth such as cotton or linen, while atthe same time the viscose-silk filaments interwoven with these areeffectively protected against injury from the caustic alkali; so thatthe resulting product is expeditiously obtained without incurring theextra eX- pense and labor required for separately Inercerizing thecellulosic fibers in the yarn before interweaving the same with theviscose silk.

Manifestly also this invention although especially well adapted for theproduction of woven mixed goods of the kind hereinabove referred to, maylikewise be practised upon yarns or other unwoven textile fabrics whichare composed partly of mercerizable cellulosic fibers such as cotton orlinen and partly of viscose-silk filaments and which are subjected toany well known and acceptable process of mercerization suitable forimparting luster to the cellulosic components of a fabric thusconstituted; except only that instead of employing therein the oldmercerizing chemical agent alone there is to be substituted therefor asolution of caustic alkali modified by the addition of formic aldehyde,whereby injury to the viscose components of the fabric is avoided.

I claim:

1. The method of treating textile fabrics composed of mercerizablecellulosic fibers intermixed with artificial silk filaments of viscose,for the purpose of mercerizing such cellulosic fibers without injury tothe viscose silk, by subjecting the composite fabric thus constituted toa process of mercerization wherein the solution of caustic alkali ismodified by the addition thereto of formic aldehyde.

2. The method of treating textile fabrics composed of yarn spun frommercerizable cellulosio fibers and interwoven with artificial silkfilaments of viscose for the pur pose of mercerizing the fibers of suchyarn without injury to the viscose silk, by subjecting the woven fabricthus constituted to a process of mercerization wherein the solution ofcaustic alkali is modified by the addition thereto of formic aldehyde.

3. The method of treating textile fabrics composed of cotton fibersintermixed with artificial silk filaments of viscose, for the purpose ofmercerizing such cotton fibers without injury to the viscose silk, bysubj ecting the composite fabric thus constituted, 6 to a process ofmercerization wherein the olution of caustic alkali is modified by theaddition-thereto of formic aldehyde. 44-. The method of treating textilefabrics composed of cotton yarn interwoven with artificialsilk filamentsof viscose for the purpose of mercerizing the fibers of such cotton yarnwithout injury to the viscose silk, by subjecting the woven fabric thusconstituted to a process of mercerization wherein the solution ofcaustic alkali is modified by the addition thereto of formic aldehyde.

SAMUEL MANSFIELD JONES.

